This book provides a comprehensive and updated source of information on the taxonomy and nomenclature of the orchid family.
The dictionary is the most comprehensive collection of orchid genera nomenclature to date with over 3800 names. It presents the current status of orchid taxonomy and the history of generic names, making it an important reference for all orchid people from botanists to orchid lovers. There are colour illustrations or line drawings for each genus. More than 3000 orchid genera are fully listed with the author(s) name, publication name, as well as page number and year of publication. Accepted genera include subfamily, tribe, and subtribe placement. Each genus has its type species or lectotype listed, the number of species credited to the genus, and the species distribution. Also included is a brief description of the plants and flowers of the genus. Additionally the dictionary includes an introductory overview of the orchid family. The appendices include a list of the taxonomists along with their birth/death dates and genera authored, and a listing of the standardized publication abbreviations used in literature.
Supplementary Material includes a list of book/periodical abbreviations used in the dictionary, a glossary of technical terms used to describe orchids, The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN) rules for naming genera (reprinted with permission), a list of illustrations by species name, a classification of Orchidaceae that accords with the most recent findings from phylogenetic studies, an index of taxonomic authorities and a list of selected reading on Orchidaceae.